Grant Hansen originally chose illustration as a major while preparing to go to Medical School, but quickly his plans changed. One thing he enjoys about the illustration major is how it focuses on applying all he has learned.

“You can’t get through this major by memorizing the answers to the tests. It’s an industry that demands you actually know your stuff,” Hansen said.

While at BYU, Hansen traveled to California with fellow BYU design students. There he started networking with AMD Radeon an organization who later helped fund his senior project. For his senior project, Hansen created and directed a virtual reality version of Jack and The Beanstalk.

Hansen worked with several other students from multiple disciplines over eight months to create the final project. Hansen is hopeful their project will spark more interest in virtual reality projects on campus. He hopes he left a legacy of collaboration that other BYU students will follow.

“I think that I had some impact on the people I worked with during my time at BYU,” Hansen said. “I hope that I helped reinforce the idea that we can accomplish greater things together than we can alone. That we’re just as free to do as we are to dream.”

Wise words to share with others: “If you find, as most of us do, that you are your own greatest limiting factor: stop it.”

Teachers that impacted your education: “David Dibble with his ability to squeeze the highest possible quality out of his students. Justin Kunz with his energy, experience and faith in his students to succeed. Bob Barrett with his sage advice, his quotes, his quotes, his quotes, and his excellent instruction. Beth Anne Anderson with her relentless positivity, her love of life and art, and infectious exuberance.”

Movie title for your life: “‘What to Do When Lost.’ My life has consisted a lot of figuring out what to do when I don’t know how I’m going to get through a challenge.”

Unique superpower you wish you had: “Time manipulation. You could get all your sleep out of the way in seconds, be an incredibly good athlete, be able to undo bad things that happen, get all the answers if I was ever on Jeopardy. That sort of thing.”

Most meaningful experience at BYU: “I think I’d have to say the whole process of executing my senior project. It was life-changing.We were mentored by three BYU faculty members who were there to give us help and advice when we asked but generally allowed me to carry the project forward as I saw fit. Bless them.”